buddism
773701258057072640
The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master’s
temple told a friend: “Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person’s
face, so I must judge his character by the sound of his voice.
Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness
or success, I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is
expressed for the misfortune of another, I hear pleasure and
satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was
something left to gain in his own world.”“In all my experience, however, Bankei’s voice was always sincere.
Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and
whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard.”
773701223298793472
The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master’s
temple told a friend: “Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person’s
face, so I must judge his character by the sound of his voice.
Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness
or success, I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is
expressed for the misfortune of another, I hear pleasure and
satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was
something left to gain in his own world.”“In all my experience, however, Bankei’s voice was always sincere.
Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and
whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard.”
771781683919847424
“Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.”
— Shunryu Suzuki
771781408173768705
Temper
A Zen student came to Bankei and complained: “Master, I have an ungovernable temper. How can I cure it?”
“You have something very strange,” replied Bankei. “Let me see what you have.”
“Just now I cannot show it to you,” replied the other.
“When can you show it to me?” asked Bankei.
“It arises unexpectedly,” replied the student.
“Then,” concluded Bankei, “it must not be your own true nature. If it were, you could show it to me at any time. When you were born you did not have it, and your parents did not give it to you. Think that over.”
754753163437965312
The Voice of Happiness
After Bankei had passed away, a blind man who lived near the master’s temple told a friend: “Since I am blind, I cannot watch a person’s face, so I must judge his character by the sound of his voice. Ordinarily when I hear someone congratulate another upon his happiness or success, I also hear a secret tone of envy. When condolence is expressed for the misfortune of another, I hear pleasure and satisfaction, as if the one condoling was really glad there was something left to gain in his own world.
“In all my experience, however, Bankei’s voice was always sincere. Whenever he expressed happiness, I heard nothing but happiness, and whenever he expressed sorrow, sorrow was all I heard.”
736913752791957504
The True Path
Just before Ninakawa passed away the Zen master Ikkyu visited him. “Shall I lead you on?” Ikkyu asked.
Ninakawa replied: “I came here alone and I go alone. What help could you be to me?”
Ikkyu answered: “If you think you really come and go, that is your delusion. Let me show you the path on which there is no coming and going.”
With his words, Ikkyu had revealed the path so clearly that Ninakawa smiled and passed away.
736290503371440128
Nothing Exists
Yamaoka Tesshu, as a young student of Zen, visited one master after another. He called upon Dokuon of Shokoku.
Desiring to show his attainment, he said: “The mind, Buddha, and sentient beings, after all, do not exist. The true nature of phenomena is emptiness. There is no realization, no delusion, no sage, no mediocrity. There is no giving and nothing to be received.”
Dokuon, who was smoking quietly, said nothing. Suddenly he whacked Yamaoka with his bamboo pipe. This made the youth quite angry.
“If nothing exists,” inquired Dokuon, “where did this anger come from?”